Suspect dodgy tablets from pharmacy

[condor]

I think tablets that I was prescibed from the GP and bought from the pharmacy are not genuine. NHS fee of £9 paid.
What is the best way to go about checking the authenticity of the tablets?
Currently I've an appointment back with my GP next week to tell her of my concerns.

[popeyewhite]

Why do you think they are not genuine?

[anonymous-user]

Why would a go be interested.in fake tablets from a pharmacy. Surely you complain to the pharmacy? What are the tablets?

[ninepoint2]

I really do think they need to introduce automatic responses on PH, such as "I am constantly amazed that some people manage to get up in the morning and get dressed properly and able to survive the rest of the day"...Such a response would be applicable in many, many threads

[Horsey McHorseface]

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

He hasn't got an erection yet.

[tumble dryer]

Horsey McHorseface said:

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

He hasn't got an erection yet.

[anonymous-user]

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

He can still hear the voices

[condor]

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

They're supposedly ferrous sulfate pills ( iron supplement pills), which should make your poo black ( previous ones did) - but these ones don't.
Also when I take one first thing in the morning I then vomit my breakfast up.

[gregs656]

condor said:

They're supposedly ferrous sulfate pills ( iron supplement pills), which should make your poo black ( previous ones did) - but these ones don't.
Also when I take one first thing in the morning I then vomit my breakfast up.

Have you looked up the side effects?

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4127/ferrous-su...

Both the things you have listed are possible side effects.

Checked the PL number?

[Mastodon2]

So you think they're fake because you're having a different reaction to them this time?

Contact the manufacturer and check the lot number, their contact details will be on the packaging and the Information For Users leaflet. They'll probably ask you to send them in for their investigation.

[thebraketester]

Horsey McHorseface said:

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

He hasn't got an erection yet.

You can get it over the counter, if you take 2.

[dragonflyjade]

Different iron salts can give slightly different side effects.

Where your last ferrous tablets of the sulfate, fumarate or gluconate salts?

The Falsfied Medicines Directive is also in force so there should be less hooky drugs on the supply chain; not that it was a major issue in my opinion.

Iron tablets are cheaper to buy over the pharmacy counter too unless your GP prescribed a decent quantity for the £9.

[sjabrown]

Falsified Medicines Directive is in place which should mean that there's an identifiable chain from manufacturer to patient.

More likely a different iron salt, or different coating. Or one of a myriad of variables including what is currently in your gut and how well you are absorbing the iron.

[soad]

condor said:

Also when I take one first thing in the morning I then vomit my breakfast up.

Nasty!!

Take them with food?

[popeyewhite]

condor said:

popeyewhite said:

Why do you think they are not genuine?

They're supposedly ferrous sulfate pills ( iron supplement pills), which should make your poo black ( previous ones did) - but these ones don't.
Also when I take one first thing in the morning I then vomit my breakfast up.

Do these pills have the exactly the same name as the ones you took previously with no unpleasant (apart from ther poo) side effects? Doc may just be trying you on another type of iron pill (the cynic in me might suggest because it's cheaper).

[condor]

The pills I was given are red round ones and come in a brown bottle with a child lock cap. They're not packaged separately and there's no 'lot' number or PL ( don't know what those initials mean).
There is no manufacturer information and no 'information to user' bit of paper to read..

Edited by condor on Saturday 20th July 07:18

[The Mad Monk]

condor said:

They're supposedly ferrous sulfate pills ( iron supplement pills), which should make your poo black ( previous ones did) - but these ones don't.
Also when I take one first thing in the morning I then vomit my breakfast up.

You are obviously not taking it first thing.

[carinatauk]

condor said:

The pills I was given are red round ones and come in a brown bottle with a child lock cap. They're not packaged separately and there's no 'lot' number or PL ( don't know what those initials mean).
There is no manufacturer information and no 'information to user' bit of paper to read..

Edited by condor on Saturday 20th July 07:18

Back to the Pharmacy and get them to explain, doctor won't know what they have given you, other than what's on the label.

[Aston Traveller]

The red ones are Ferrous Gluconate (300mg). Ferrous Sulphate are 200mg and white.

What does it say on the pharmacy label?

What did it say on the script? You may have a copy of the script which would answer this.

[marksx]

There should be a qr code, unique serial number and tamper proof seals on each end of the packaging. (False medicine directive mentioned above). Were these present?

Edit - just to caveat that. This has been in place around 6 months, has 'issues' and I've heard is only fully working for around 50% of the industry.

Edited by marksx on Saturday 20th July 12:54